Hernia Support Group
There are several kinds of hernias, but the all happen when pressure pushes an organ (often the intestine) through a weak spot in a muscle face or wall. Treatment for hernias can be no treatment, to medicines to surgery. Modern surgical methods to treat hernias are much improved over older techniques and recovery times are much shorter.
Guys-
Im going to create a blog about my experience, but for now I wanted to get something posted here so others who suffer as I have will know that theres hope. If theres anything I can impart, its that you MUSNT SUFFER NEEDLESSLY! If a doctor has told you theres nothing wrong with you and youre not a candidate for Nissen and/or surgical HH repair otherwise, go elsewhere! Doctors offer only opinions, and their opinions arent facts, theyre just opinions. That being said, heres my story.
In the summer of 1999, I was 26 years old and in phenomenal physical condition: 5 10 155 pounds, ~ 9% BF. I ran, played soccer, lifted weights, and ate well. Despite my outwardly healthy appearance, one day I began to experience bloating and shortness of breath for seemingly no reason. I never had classic heartburn (vomit-burps), yet suddenly I felt as if there was a constant lump in my throat, and rarely could I ever fill my lungs with enough air to be comfortable. I was constantly horse, and breathing became part of my consciousness as I had to manipulate my posture, yawn, and do other odd rituals throughout the day just to get full breaths.
I went to a doctor, and he immediately diagnosed me with acid reflux, yet the Prevacid he prescribed didnt do a thing to manage my symptoms. Through the next 13 years, my symptoms waxed and waned, and I went to no fewer than 8 different doctors, prescribing 4 upper endoscopies, 8 upper-GIs (barium swallow), multiple asthma tests, chest x-rays, 2 abdominal ultra sounds, and every PPI and H2 blocker youve ever heard of. The tests showed a small hiatal hernia, no esophageal erosion (i.e. no GERD), so the docs were content to send me on my way. Theres nothing wrong with you. Right For what its worth, 60mg Dexliant did work somewhat, but not completely.
At the beginning of this year my condition took a frightening turn for the worse. My symptoms went from bloating and constant shortness of breath to outright agony, with sharp stabbing pains behind my breastbone bringing me to my knees, literally. I visited the ER 3 times in 5 months, sure that I must have a serious heart condition. The pain was unreal 9/10 type stuff; debilitating. It was so severe that I would shake and sweat and get dizzy. All I could do was lay on the couch on my left side and not move. Thus began another battery of tests and after literally a dozen different medications and lifestyle changes (diets like gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, and every mix in between), my internist finally offered me narcotic pain meds until we could come to a solution. The Lortab he prescribed alleviated my pain, but I wasnt satisfied. I wanted to be cured.
I finally decided I would no longer accept this existence as it were, and made it my only goal in life to find out what was wrong with me and either get cured or kill myself. Morbid? Yes, but this pain was torture and I wasnt going to accept it. Online I found an ENT, Doctor Walter Schroder here in Las Vegas, and went to him as an alternative approach, since the internists and gastros seemed stumped. Dr. Schroeder correctly diagnosed me with LPR reflux (aka Silent Reflux), and I immediately sought out the best Gastro in town, one experienced with LPR and its treatment. I found Dr. Brent Burnette, gastroenterologist, and he too immediately confirmed LPR as well as a hiatal hernia after another upper endoscopy and esophageal motility study. How did the other docs miss this?!?!?! I have no idea. In any case, he put me in touch with bariatric surgeon Dr. Berni Hanna, and he went over what he thought the best approach to fixing me was: laparoscopic surgery to repair my hiatal hernia and fix my LES (Nissen Fundoplication).
My surgery was about a month and a half ago, and I literally feel like a different person in a different life. I am cured. I didnt realize that not only were the noxious acid vapors making it hard to breath, but I could barely smell or taste, either! I now have what I can HD smelling and teste now. LOL. Further I forgot to mention this I can once again exercise since my asthma-like symptoms are no more now that Im not aspirating on my own bile.
The take away here is to not accept one or several opinions if you know deep down something isnt right. I still cant understand how so many docs failed me, but they did. Im just blessed that today Im cured thanks to a few doctors who really listened and wouldnt accept that I was healthy just because I seemed so.
Surgery isnt for everyone, but when youre at the end of the line and youve tried everything else, dont be afraid of it. It just may change your life.
Best wishes.
-K
Im going to create a blog about my experience, but for now I wanted to get something posted here so others who suffer as I have will know that theres hope. If theres anything I can impart, its that you MUSNT SUFFER NEEDLESSLY! If a doctor has told you theres nothing wrong with you and youre not a candidate for Nissen and/or surgical HH repair otherwise, go elsewhere! Doctors offer only opinions, and their opinions arent facts, theyre just opinions. That being said, heres my story.
In the summer of 1999, I was 26 years old and in phenomenal physical condition: 5 10 155 pounds, ~ 9% BF. I ran, played soccer, lifted weights, and ate well. Despite my outwardly healthy appearance, one day I began to experience bloating and shortness of breath for seemingly no reason. I never had classic heartburn (vomit-burps), yet suddenly I felt as if there was a constant lump in my throat, and rarely could I ever fill my lungs with enough air to be comfortable. I was constantly horse, and breathing became part of my consciousness as I had to manipulate my posture, yawn, and do other odd rituals throughout the day just to get full breaths.
I went to a doctor, and he immediately diagnosed me with acid reflux, yet the Prevacid he prescribed didnt do a thing to manage my symptoms. Through the next 13 years, my symptoms waxed and waned, and I went to no fewer than 8 different doctors, prescribing 4 upper endoscopies, 8 upper-GIs (barium swallow), multiple asthma tests, chest x-rays, 2 abdominal ultra sounds, and every PPI and H2 blocker youve ever heard of. The tests showed a small hiatal hernia, no esophageal erosion (i.e. no GERD), so the docs were content to send me on my way. Theres nothing wrong with you. Right For what its worth, 60mg Dexliant did work somewhat, but not completely.
At the beginning of this year my condition took a frightening turn for the worse. My symptoms went from bloating and constant shortness of breath to outright agony, with sharp stabbing pains behind my breastbone bringing me to my knees, literally. I visited the ER 3 times in 5 months, sure that I must have a serious heart condition. The pain was unreal 9/10 type stuff; debilitating. It was so severe that I would shake and sweat and get dizzy. All I could do was lay on the couch on my left side and not move. Thus began another battery of tests and after literally a dozen different medications and lifestyle changes (diets like gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, and every mix in between), my internist finally offered me narcotic pain meds until we could come to a solution. The Lortab he prescribed alleviated my pain, but I wasnt satisfied. I wanted to be cured.
I finally decided I would no longer accept this existence as it were, and made it my only goal in life to find out what was wrong with me and either get cured or kill myself. Morbid? Yes, but this pain was torture and I wasnt going to accept it. Online I found an ENT, Doctor Walter Schroder here in Las Vegas, and went to him as an alternative approach, since the internists and gastros seemed stumped. Dr. Schroeder correctly diagnosed me with LPR reflux (aka Silent Reflux), and I immediately sought out the best Gastro in town, one experienced with LPR and its treatment. I found Dr. Brent Burnette, gastroenterologist, and he too immediately confirmed LPR as well as a hiatal hernia after another upper endoscopy and esophageal motility study. How did the other docs miss this?!?!?! I have no idea. In any case, he put me in touch with bariatric surgeon Dr. Berni Hanna, and he went over what he thought the best approach to fixing me was: laparoscopic surgery to repair my hiatal hernia and fix my LES (Nissen Fundoplication).
My surgery was about a month and a half ago, and I literally feel like a different person in a different life. I am cured. I didnt realize that not only were the noxious acid vapors making it hard to breath, but I could barely smell or taste, either! I now have what I can HD smelling and teste now. LOL. Further I forgot to mention this I can once again exercise since my asthma-like symptoms are no more now that Im not aspirating on my own bile.
The take away here is to not accept one or several opinions if you know deep down something isnt right. I still cant understand how so many docs failed me, but they did. Im just blessed that today Im cured thanks to a few doctors who really listened and wouldnt accept that I was healthy just because I seemed so.
Surgery isnt for everyone, but when youre at the end of the line and youve tried everything else, dont be afraid of it. It just may change your life.
Best wishes.
-K
Report came back that shows I have a sliding hialtal hernia. BUt the sergoen he sends me to wants to do two more tests. one for the gallbladder(to see if he has to take that out) and an EGD with a bravo PH probe. the ph test with the most miserable thing I've ever been through in my life. A week before the test I had to give up ALL of my acid-reducers...I was taking 80mg of protonix a day, 150 mg of zantac and tums at night. All that gone. I was on nothing but clear liquids by day two and vomiting once a day. By day 5 I have severe chest pain and was eating ice cubes and popcicles and trying not to cry. still vomitting.
the day of the test comes. I can barely walk. the day before, I had fallen down the stairs of the house on my backside and had scared myself so bad I threw up again on the stairs.
I registered, they got me back quickly and put me to sleep, did the procedure. I came to, now I have a probe in my esophagus. can't feel it yet because they numbed it. I wake up and they give me a coke. it feels good.
I go home and sllep in a recliner. I wake up 3 hours later.
I thought I was in pain before. This was like hell. I felt like I had been shot in the chest!
I have my friend called the surgoens office. they tell me to eat yogurt. I do. it comes up. so I go right back to the clear liquids. meanwhile there's a warning bell going off in my head (you're dying!) my hubby won't let mego to the hospital because it's too expensive and they can't help us and I'm be fine if I just wait and it can't be THAT bad.
five days later I'm still on clear liquids..and my mind if starting to flash crazy scenes that are horrifying me and making me screem and cry and I'm calling the surgeons office and Iall I'm getting is the secretary who's asking me if I'm eating the damned yogurt and finally I call my PCP's nurse and tell them to put her on the phone NOW! and I am sobbing and telling her whats going on.
THe surgoen calls me in the next 10 minutes and tells me that I am only the 3rd paient he's ever had to react like this to the procedure, which do0esn't impress me cause he's only 45.
but he calls in a medicine that I can swallow that stops esopagial spasms and acid cold in their track. and it works too. if you can keep it down. swallowing it is easy. but you can feel in dripping and slidding down you. I think I'll never eat yogurt again.
but the good news is. I can finally eat again.
it's gonna, however, take a while for me to build up my strength back to where it was. ..and this was just a TEST
a
A few quick things to point out that have come up in my offline discussions with other people:
1) The barium swallow test (aka upper GI) NEVER showed anything for me. No hh, no reflux, nothing. For all intents and purposes, the docs observing me during this test invariably concluded I was fine.
2) PPI acid rebound post-surgery. Make sure you talk with your gastro and surgeon before surgery about what to do with your PPIs. If you stop cold turkey, you will have a rebound effect and it could be significant. I stopped cold turkey, experienced nothing, then experienced rebound, then went back on them, then went back to my doc and we outlined a plan of weaning off.
3) The impact of gut micro flora on digestive health: make sure youve exhausted all options before surgery, specifically those diet related and even more specifically those related to the health of the ecosystem in your gut. In 2014 I had antibiotic-resistant pneumonia, nearly died, and as a result of the heavy doses of antibiotics administered, had a severe rebound of reflux like symptoms after being released from the hospital. Until I restored the bacteria in my gut with a strict diet as well as VSL #3 sachets (http://www.amazon.com/Vsl-Probiotics-30-Sachets-unflavored/dp/B0041IUPLG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455140495&sr=8-1&keywords=vsl+3+sachet), I was terrified that something had happened to my Nissen wrap.
I notice thereve been some comments I havent answered and its been a little while - Ill get to those as Im able. Probably later this week.
If you have specific questions related to my experience, private message me or email me directly at kristianhusby at gmail dot com. I will reply.
this is my experience and meant to help others as well.. no judgement here. we all have our own journeys
just reading your post you sound like atypical reflux or LPR.. too bad no one figured that out sooner and suspected an HH,, wow... that is why I dont totally trust doctors. you have to be very proactive and do your research. It is very common for major exercisers to develop an HH over many years of straining,, ab machines etc.. That is what happened to me. It sounds like you developed very major inflammation of the esophagus and throat as well as gastritis etc. It can be very painful. Many end up in the hospital and have no idea it is because of chronic reflux and gastritis. Chronic reflux over many years does damage the tissue a lot.
Did you develop Barretts?? You are lucky if not.
I also had those symptoms and I have a small sliding hiatal hernia and the symptoms I got under control quickly but i also never trusted the doctors totally. I got heart tests etc because of the breathing issue. I also am a major exerciser and couldnt breath well while running uphill. I did insist on a scope right away and they found the small sliding HH. The key is to nip the symptoms in the bud right away and be disciplined.
I rarely have to take meds. I refused to early on and managed this with diet only and I had no anxiety. I find anxiety and mental health issues make it very hard to eliminate the reflux symptoms even on PPIs. People with anxiety/trauma tend to get HH's as well. Also PPIs dont work well if you are not discipline with the diet part. You still have to change your lifestyle.
I am lucky i can manage this with diet and I am not stressed etc. I rarely have issues. It took me a year and a half to get good at this.
A small HH can be managed by diet only and sticking to all the GERD rules. It requires a lifestyle change. if you dont have mental health issues, It just takes discipline. That is what most people find hard.
I am glad this surgery worked for you, you are lucky this has worked. It doesnt for everyone or it only lasts a few years. There are many on this site who regret having it done. In my opinion being disciplined is the key to managing a small HH but many people cant do the hard work or they have anxiety. people with medium to large hernias have a much more challenging time managing this.
You have to do your research and find out who is the best at the surgery. Like, a place like shouldice in Canada. They do it for people from all over the world. They are the best at it.
having a small Hiatal hernia is challenging but it can be managed without meds or surgery. I am proof of it but i have a very determined nature! I would never have the surgery unless I had a medium to large hernia and had worked my butt off too manage the symptoms and got help for anxiety if I had it.
There are lots of people on the GERD and gastritis site that have hiatal hernias and have learned to manage it well. So there is also hope for people who dont want to go down the surgery road. This can be done if your hernia is small.
I hope you continue to do well.